Bath drain closure assembly

ABSTRACT

A drain closure assembly for use with a bathtub, having a drain closure device with a stopper positioned above a lower drain and a plunger device attached to the stopper adapted to bias the stopper in a downward direction. An actuating mechanism received within a housing in communication with a conduit extending from the lower drain, the actuating member having a main body that contacts the drain closure device and moves the drain closure device to an open position when activated and a closed position when deactivated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a bathtub drain closure assembly. More particularly, this invention relates to a bath drain closure device that is opened and closed by an electronic activating member.

Bathtub drains commonly have a closure valve therein which can open or close the drain by being lifted manually upward to open the drain or drop to an initial seating position to close the drain. While such drain closures work well, they are not convenient to operate because they are located on the bottom of the bathtub where the drain is located.

Further, there have been some prior automated bathtub drain valves. However, valves of this type usually suffer from one or more of the following deficiencies: (1) they subject electrical parts and/or connections to a risk of fluid contact by positioning the electrical parts and/or connections within the valve housing; and/or 2) they are overly expensive to manufacture, install, or repair. While these systems have solved some of the problems, other problems still remain.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a drain closure assembly for a bathtub which has an actuating member where a coil and electrical contact are located exterior to the housing that contain the moving parts.

A further object of this invention is to provide a drain closure assembly for a bathtub which has a drain closure device that is engaged by an electrical actuating member to move the drain closure between an open and closed position.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A drain closure assembly for use with a bathtub having a drain closure device that is mounted to and extends through the drain port of the bathtub. Mounted below the drain port, and in communication with the drain conduit, is an actuating member that engages the end of the drain closure device. When activated, the actuating member moves such that the drain closure device is moved to an open position. When deactivated, the actuating member moves such that the drain closure device moves to a closed position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bathtub environment; [Para 12]

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of a drain closure assembly device associated with a bathtub taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional side view of a drain closure assembly device associated with a bathtub taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional side view of a drain closure assembly when activated;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional side view of an alternative embodiment of a drain closure assembly device associated with the bathtub; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional side view of a drain closure assembly when activated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional bathtub 10 has an upper overflow drain 12 and a lower drain 14. The upper overflow drain 12 is located at one end wall 16 of the bathtub 10 for draining overflow fluids from the bathtub 10. The lower drain 14 is located in the bottom 18 of the bathtub 10 for draining fluids from the bottom of the bathtub 10.

The bath drain closure assembly 20 is mated with the lower drain 14 to open and close the drain 14 to allow and prevent fluid flow. An activation switch 22 is preferably located in the end wall 16 of the bathtub 10 and is electronically connected to the drain closure assembly 20. Alternatively, the activation switch 22 is located on a far wall or deck of the tub. The activation switch 22 allows a user to selectively activate the drain closure assembly 20 to open and close drain 14.

A power source 24 is connected to the activation switch 22 to provide power to the drain closure assembly 20 through the activation switch 22. Alternatively, the power source 24 and the activation switch 22 are connected to the drain closure assembly. The power source 24 may be any conventional power source including, but not limited to, an electrical outlet.

A transformer 26 may optionally be inserted between the power source 24 and the activation switch 22 to modify the power sent to the activation switch 22.

A control box 28 is associated with the activation switch 22. The control box 28 regulates the operation and flow of electricity through the activation switch 22. Alternatively, the control box 28 is associated with the transformer 26 and can be connected between the activation switch 22 and the drain closure assembly or between the transformer 26 and the activation switch 22. The connection may be in parallel or series.

With reference to FIG. 3, the bath drain closure assembly 20 includes a strainer body 30 which is attached to the lower drain 14.

A drain closure device 32 is mounted to the strainer and is movable to allow and prevent fluid flow from the bathtub 10 through the drain port 14, to a drain conduit or pipe 35. The drain conduit 35 can be of any configuration including those shown in FIGS. 3-6. Many different drain closure devices may be used. An example includes a drain closure device 32 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 having a plunger device 36 is mounted within the strainer body 30. The plunger device 36 movably associates a stopper 38 with the strainer body 30 to open or close the strainer body 30 to fluid flow. The plunger device 36 includes a threaded surface 42 for mating with the threaded nut portion 34 of the strainer body 30. A hollow sleeve 44 extends upwardly from the threaded surface 42, and slidably receives shaft 46.

The shaft 46 extends above and below the strainer body 30, and has an upper end connected to the bottom of the stopper 38. A lug 48 is attached to the shaft 46 and is also slidably received within the hollow sleeve 44. The plunger device 36 moves the stopper 38 to an open condition when a head 52 on the lower end of the shaft 46 is pressed in an upward direction.

An actuating mechanism or member 54 provides a means for pressing the head 52 on the lower end of the shaft 46 in an upward direction to open the strainer body 30 to fluid flow. Many actuating members may be used. An exemplary example includes an actuating mechanism 54 slidably received within housing 56. The housing 56 is joined to and in communication with the conduit 35 such that rim 57 supports the actuating mechanism 54 within conduit 35.

The actuating mechanism has a solenoid piston 58 that includes a main body 60 with first and second magnets 62 positioned at opposite ends of the main body 60. A conical tip 64 extends from one end of the main body 60 into conduit 35 and engages the head 52 on the lower end of the shaft 46.

A coil 68 is mounted around the housing 56, and is located exterior to both the housing 56 as well as the conduit 35. An electrical contact 70 extends from the activation switch 22 to the coil 68. Like the coil 68, the electrical contact 70 also is located exterior to both the housing 56 as well as the conduit 35. This arrangement is advantageous as neither the coil 68 nor the electrical contact 70 depend upon seals within the housing 56 or the conduit 35 to remain untouched by fluid draining from the bathtub 10.

In an alternative embodiment the drain closure device 32 has a closure flap 72. The flap 72 is connected to the strainer 74 and moves from an open position that allows water to flow from the tub through the drain closure device as shown in FIG. 5, to a closed position that prevents fluid flow from the tub through the drain closure device 32 as shown in FIG. 6. The flap 72 is moved from open to closed positions through engagement by the actuating member 54.

In operation, with reference to FIG. 3, an operator (not shown) raises the stopper 38 by pressing on the activation switch 22. The activation switch 22 permits power to flow from the power source 24 to charge the coil 68 via the electrical contact 70. The charging of the coil 68 actuates the solenoid piston 58 of the electronic actuating mechanism 54 to change position. The solenoid piston 58 moves towards the plunger device 36. The sloped surface 66 on the conical tip 64 of the solenoid piston 58 presses the head 52 on the lower end of the shaft 46 of the plunger device 36 in an upward direction when the solenoid piston 58 is actuated, moving the stopper 38 to an open position, as shown in FIG. 4. In the open position, the stopper 38 permits fluid from the bathtub 10 to flow through the lower drain 14, the strainer body 30, and into the conduit 35. Preferred is a slot 72 in the main body 60 that receives but does not lock head 52 of shaft 46 when the plunger device 36 is in the open position.

When it is desired to close the lower drain 14 to fluid flow, an operator (not shown) engages the activation switch 22. The activation switch 22 now restricts power flow from the power source 24 to reverse the charge in the coil 68 via the electrical contact 70. The reverse charge of the coil 68 actuates the solenoid piston 58 of the electronic actuating mechanism 54 to change position. The solenoid piston 58 moves away from the plunger device 36. The sloped surface 66 on the conical tip 64 of the solenoid piston 58 releases the head 52 on the lower end of the shaft 46 of the plunger device 36. The bias element in the plunger device 36 acts upon the shaft 46 to lower the stopper 38 in a downward direction when the solenoid piston 58 is actuated, moving the stopper 38 to a closed condition. In the closed condition, the stopper 38 restricts fluid from the bathtub 10 to flow through the lower drain 14.

For the closure device shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the closure device is closed as shown in FIG. 6 when coil 68 is charged actuating the solenoid piston 58. The solenoid piston moves toward and engages flap 72 to move the flap to the closed position. When the charge in the coil is reversed, piston 58 moves away from flap 72 and the flap falls to an open position.

It is therefore seen that this invention will accomplish at least all of its stated objectives. 

1. A bath drain closure assembly for a bathtub having a drain port in fluid communication with a conduit, comprising: a drain closure device mounted to and extending through the drain port; a movable actuating member that engages the drain closure device such that the drain closure device is moved to an open position when the actuating member is activated by an electrical charge and the closure device is moved to a closed position when the actuating member is deactivated; and a housing for slidably receiving the actuating member, wherein the housing is joined to and in fluid communication with the conduit.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuating member is a solenoid piston.
 3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the solenoid piston comprises a main body received by the housing, and a coil mounted to the exterior of the housing and exterior to the conduit.
 4. The assembly of claim 3 further comprising an electrical contact coupling the coil to an activation switch, wherein the electrical contact is exterior to the housing and the conduit. 